The VDHA was organized in 1993 by a group of six veteran war dog handlers that served during the Vietnam Conflict. One of their original goals was to search for and re-unite veteran war dog handlers and honor the memory of their war dog partners.

As a result, the VDHA has grown from six members to approximately 2000 members. Our membership consists of veteran war dog handlers and dog loving supporters of all ages and gender.

Many members have been featured in the print and film media, and during many of our nation's annually scheduled patriotic events. A significant achievement is the highly acclaimed TV documentary, "War Dogs, America's Forgotten Heroes."  We welcome the informational contributions of all dog handlers from all eras.

The VDHA was founded with three core objectives in mind:
• Educate the public of the accomplishments of dog handlers in the United States Armed Forces during the Vietnam Conflict and the dogs that served with them.
• Provide opportunities for the research and preparation of a detailed history of the use of dogs in the Vietnam Conflict.
• Locate and provide fellowship among dog handlers of all US Armed Services.

The VDHA continues to be a part of war dog memorial projects throughout the country. Some have since been dedicated and more are on the horizon.

Getting the US Postal Service to issue a War Dog Stamp that honors the service and sacrifice of the nation's war dogs is one of our goals.

Educating the public on what these incredible four-footed animals have done to save American lives on the battlefields of foreign Wars is always in the forefront of every effort we support or sponsor.

During every modern War, WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Persian Gulf, Bosnia, Afghanistan, and Iraq, men have volunteered to serve as "Dog Handlers." The military duty of having served with a dog in War is a bonding relationship and memorable experience like no other, that lasts a lifetime.